Northern Ireland: Sewerage Arrangement, Portrush, County Antrim

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have for a new sewerage arrangement in Portrush, County Antrim.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The chief executive of the Water Service has written in response to the noble Lord's Question. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.

Cabinet Ministerial Committees

Baroness Gale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the list of Ministerial Committees of the Cabinet.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Prime Minister has today published the list of Ministerial Committees of the Cabinet together with their Chairmen, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The Prime Minister will make an announcement on full membership and terms of reference in due course.

Consul General, San Francisco: Residence

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have decided to acquire a new Consul General's residence in San Francisco; and, if so, on what basis that decision was reached.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Yes. The Government have decided to acquire a new residence for the Consul General in San Francisco at Presidio Heights, and to sell the existing residence. This decision was taken on the basis that the existing residence is larger and more expensive than we need. The new residence will meet well the operational requirements of the post, offer better value for money and will make a net contribution to the FCO's stretched capital funds—required for Estate, IT and security modernisation.

Consul General, San Francisco: Residence

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any Government Minister has visited San Francisco or Los Angeles for the purposes of the decision on whether to replace the Consul General's residence in San Francisco; and, if so, when that visit took place.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: No government Minister has visited San Francisco or Los Angeles on estate matters. The Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Sir Michael Jay, visited San Francisco in October 2001 and concluded that sale of the present residence was the right decision. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Mr Rammell), has recently examined the papers, held a series of meetings with officials and concluded that the sale should proceed.

Consul General, San Francisco: Residence

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether British Trade International believes that the new Consul General's residence in San Francisco will meet its needs.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Yes.

Consul General, San Francisco: Residence

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the proposed new residence in San Francisco for the Consul General is capable of hosting functions of a size and style commensurate with those held in the existing residence.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: It was never the intention to replace the present residence with one of equal size. That is not necessary; and there is no realistic possibility of the FCO finding the funds to renovate and maintain the present residence as it should be. I am satisfied that the new residence at Presidio Heights will offer the Consul General the opportunity to host functions of the size and style needed to achieve his objectives at a cost that the taxpayer can afford.

Consul General, San Francisco: Residence

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the economic basis on which the decision to relocate the Consul General's residence in San Francisco will be made, including the dates of any property valuations used in the evaluation.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The case for the sale was based on current property valuations and the best available projections about the future course of the San Francisco property market. The team concluded that sale of the present residence and its replacement by a smaller building was financially advantageous, and would make a net contribution to FCO resources.

United Nations Human Rights Commission

Lord Howell of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What reports they have received from United Kingdom delegates to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, following the recent session under the chairmanship of Libya.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The United Kingdom played an active role in this year's session of the Commission on Human Rights. As in previous years, there was progress in some areas but setbacks in others. We were pleased that the commission passed important resolutions on issues such as the death penalty, torture, the right to education and the protection of human rights in the context of HIV/AIDS as well as on the human rights situations in a number of countries including Burma, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba and, for the first time, North Korea, Turkmenistan and Belarus.
	We were, however, disappointed that the commission failed to adopt resolutions on Zimbabwe, Chechnya and Sudan. We welcomed the increased time allotted to interactive dialogues with the Special Rapporteurs and the equitable distribution of speaking time to non-governmental organisations. While we did not endorse the election of a representative of Libya as chair of this year's session, she conducted proceedings in a competent and objective manner for much of the commission.
	On 29 April, the UK was re-elected to serve on the commission for a further three years. We will continue to use our membership to press for the commission to fulfil its mandate to set and promote human rights standards and address human rights violations around the world.

United Nations Human Rights Commission

Lord Howell of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether United Kingdom Government delegates serving on the United Nations Human Rights Commission voted for the recent election of Cuba as a member.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The 54 members of the United Nations Economic and Social Council elected 24 members to the Commission on Human Rights on 29 April 2003. As there were only six candidates for the six available places in the Latin America and Caribbean Group, a vote was not required. Cuba was re-elected by acclamation along with Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras and Peru.

European Legislation: Compatibility with ECHR and ECFR

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 6 June (WA 196) and the Government's response to the Report of the European Union Committee on the Review of Scrutiny of European Legislation (First Report, HL Paper 15), whether they will ensure that initial explanatory memoranda about proposed European legislation will contain statements on compatibility not only with the European Convention on Human Rights but also with the European Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Government responded favourably to the European Union Committee's recommendation that Explanatory Memorandums on proposed European Union legislation should provide a statement on compatibility with the Human Rights Act 1998.
	The Convention on the Future of Europe's proposals on the status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union was presented to Heads of State and Government at the Thessaloniki European Council on 19 and 20 June and will be discussed in detail at the inter-governmental conference which will begin later this year.

Parkhurst and Wandsworth Prisons: Inspection Reports

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will give effect to the conclusions and recommendations of H M Inspector of Prisons in relation to H M Prisons Parkhurst and Wandsworth.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Prison Service will produce an action plan for each inspection report based on the Chief Inspector's recommendations. Action plans list every recommendation and progress towards implementing each one. My honourable friend the Under-Secretary of State responsible for Correctional Services (Paul Goggins MP) sees the original action plan and subsequent progress reports.

Home Office: Strategic Framework

Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they plan to publish the Home Office strategic framework.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have today published a summary of the Home Office strategic framework. This document provides the context for the work of the Department, now and in the future. It sets out emerging challenges and opportunities and the role of the Home Office in contributing to the wider priorities of Government. The document shows that as we strive to build a safe, just and tolerant society, two themes run throughout all the Home Office's work—effective enforcement of law, order and our borders; and civil renewal, social inclusion and active citizenship.
	Copies of the strategic framework are available in the House Libraries and on the Home Office website.

Independent Police Complaints Commission

Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Who will be appointed as the deputy chairs and commissioners of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are pleased to announce that I have appointed John Wadham and Claire Gilham to be the first Deputy Chairs of the Independent Police Complaints Commission along with 15 Commissioners.
	They are:
	
		
			 Newly Appointed Commissioner Current Position 
			 Claire Gilham (Deputy Chair) Lecturer, deputy district judge, lay chair NHS complaints procedure, board member of Muir Group Housing Association, chair of statutory inquiries, Northwest region and member of the Mental Health Act Commission. 
			 John Wadham (Deputy Chair) Director of Liberty. 
			 Ian Bynoe First deputy chair of the Police Complaints Authority. 
			 John Crawley Chief Executive of FCH Housing and Care (a Midlands housing, social care and regeneration agency), Chair of an NHS primary care trust. 
			 Tom Davies Director for Wales, the Prince's Trust. 
			 Mike Franklin Assistant inspector with a portfolio for race and diversity within HM Inspectorate of Constabularies. 
			 Gary Garland Currently a trial attorney with the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia dealing with serious breaches of international law. He has previous experience as an international prosecutor and a senior prosecution lawyer and a former member of the Bar Council. 
			 Deborah Glass Currently PCA member and previously chief executive of the Investment Management Regulatory Organisation. 
			 Len Jackson Currently chair of the East Midlands Sports Board. He was previously managing director of Amelca plc and Pork Farms (Northern Foods plc). He has chaired voluntarily New Deal Employer Coalition and Common Purpose, an educational charity. 
			 Nicholas Long Trustee for NACRO, surveyor and member of Metropolitan Police Authority where he is deputy chair of Finance Committee and member of Operation Trident Independent Advisory Group. 
			 Laurence Lustgarten Professor of Law at University of Southampton, occasional lecturer to the judiciary and police service, member of the Advisory Council of the Kurdish Human Rights project. 
			 Naseem Malik Head of Legal Service at Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. 
			 Rebecca Marsh Operations manager at Guidance Accreditation Board and deputy chair of Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust. Previously a regional lay chair for NHS Complaints. 
			 Mehmuda Mian Pritchard PCA Member and non- executive director of the NHS Litigation Authority and Friend of ASRA Housing Association. 
			 David Petch PCA member. 
			 Amerdeep Somal Prosecution team leader at the CPS and Secretary of Roshni Asian Woman's Refuge Management Committee. 
			 Nicola Williams Barrister and PCA member. 
		
	
	The IPCC will commence in April 2004, replacing the Police Complaints Authority, and will operate according to the powers and duties provided to it by the Police Reform Act 2002. It will be responsible for the effective and efficient running of the police complaints system.

Referendums

Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, given the current debate about referenda, they will establish a committee or commission to look into the topic in order to suggest rules, guidelines or constitutional conventions to be laid down concerning the use and applicability of referenda in the United Kingdom.

Lord Filkin: No. The Government believe that decisions on whether or not to hold a referendum are best taken on an individual basis taking account of all the factors which are relevant to the specific circumstances.

Lord Chancellor's Advisory Council on Public Records

Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	To whom the Lord Chancellor's Committee on public records should now report.

Lord Filkin: The Lord Chancellor's Advisory Council on Public Records will report to the Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC, the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor.

RAF Menwith Hill

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many arrests have been made in the vicinity (within one mile) of the National Security Agency station at Menwith Hill for contravention of the by-laws relating to the station and its environs in each of the past six years; how many individuals have been arrested and on how many different occasions in each of the past six years; how many of these arrests have resulted in a prosecution; and what were the results of each prosecution.

Lord Bach: The information requested relating to Ministry of Defence Police arrests within one mile of RAF Menwith Hill is shown in the table below.
	
		
			 Financial Year Number of arrests for by-law offences Total number of individuals arrested 
			 1997–98 49 22 
			 1998–99 30 4 
			 1999–2000 32 5 
			 2000–01 5 3 
			 2001–02 7 4 
			 2002–03 7 1 
		
	
	Crown Prosecution Service case records are held by category of offence, rather than by a specific offence. The information requested could therefore only be obtained at disproportionate effort and cost.

South Africa: Military Aircraft and Warships Imports

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether South Africa is negotiating for, or has ordered, military aircraft and warships to a value of 4.8 billion US dollars from the United Kingdom and other European suppliers.

Lord Bach: From information currently available, the overall value of orders for military aircraft and warships from European Union countries including the United Kingdom announced by the South African Government since September 1999 is some £3 billion.

NATO: Command Structure

Baroness Turner of Camden: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What new command arrangements were agreed for the alliance at the NATO Ministerial meeting in Brussels on 12 and 13 June.

Lord Bach: At the NATO Ministerial meeting in Brussels on 12 and 13 June 2003, new command arrangements for the alliance were agreed.
	The new NATO Command Structure will be leaner, more flexible, more efficient and better able to conduct future military operations. At the strategic level, there will be one command with operational responsibilities, Allied Command Operations, and a new functional command, Allied Command Transformation, to take responsibility for promoting and overseeing the continuing transformation of alliance forces and capabilities. Below the strategic level, the structure will be significantly streamlined, with a reduction in the number of headquarters, from over 20 to 14. A number of countries within the alliance will be affected by the change.
	For the United Kingdom, the number of NATO headquarters will reduce. We will retain the major maritime headquarters at Northwood, HQ NAVNORTH which will subsume the task of RHQ EASTLANT (also currently in Northwood). The NATO element of Combined Air Operations Centre 9 (CAOC) at RAF High Wycombe will close.
	RHQ EASTANT in Northwood has 230 service personnel, of whom 106 are UK nationals. There are 24 civilian personnel. Decisions on any transitional arrangements, including what tasks might be subsumed into HQ NAVNORTH and the timing of any changes, are still under consideration.
	The NATO CAOC at RAF High Wycombe is manned by some 94 service personnel, of whom 46 are UK nationals. There are no civilians. Decisions on the transitional arangements and the timing have not yet been taken. It is anticipated that the multinational element of the CAOC would return to their home countries. The total number of personnel at High Wycombe is over 2,100.
	These changes will help to achieve a more streamlined overall NATO Command Structure, thereby enabling the alliance to operate more efficiently and effectively, and taken together with the work on the NATO Response Force, should provide the alliance with a real improvement in future capability.

NHS: Performance Ratings

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why, of the 40-plus performance indicators announced by the Minister of State, John Hutton MP, on 31 March, none relates to specialised service provision or commissioning.

Lord Warner: The performance ratings system provides a high level overview of National Health Service Trust performance across the full range of trust functions. Acute and specialist, mental health and ambulance trust performance indicators are based around capacity and capability, clinical and patient focus including attainment of key targets. Primary care trust performance is assessed across the full range of primary care trust functions: service provision, access to quality services and improving health and attainment of key targets. The 2003 performance ratings contain a number of indicators, which relate to specialised services across all NHS Trusts with the exception of ambulance trusts. These include the reduction of waiting times for cancer services, 24-hour access to specialist mental health services and expansion of revascularisation services.

Water Fluoridation

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the statement reported to have been made recently in a letter by Health and Environment Ministers to the Deputy Prime Minister, that opponents of fluoridation are in a minority, was made; and if so, whether they will specify the sources on which this view is based; and
	Whether the view reported to have been expressed recently in a letter by Health and Environment Ministers to the Deputy Prime Minister, that opponents of fluoridation are "insisting on an indefinite research programme", was expressed; and, if so, having regard to the research recommendations contained in the reports from the systematic review of water fluoridation carried out at the University of York in 2000, and by the Medical Research Council working group in 2002, what grounds they have for believing that opponents are calling for an indefinite rather than a definite programme.

Lord Warner: Opinion surveys commissioned by the British Fluoridation Society regularly show that about 70 per cent. of the population are in favour of fluoridation. The Systematic Review of Fluoridation undertaken by the National Health Service Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York identified 3,246 research studies with reference to fluoridation many of which considered claims of an association between fluoridation and different illnesses or disabilities. Further claims continue to emerge. York found no evidence of risks to overall health from fluoridation, other than dental fluorosis, and were critical of the quality of some of the research. Accordingly, we asked the Medical Research Council to advise how the research base could be strengthened. We have already acted on its main recommendation by commissioning a research study into the absorption of fluoride.

Cochlear Implants

Lord Ashley of Stoke: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many adults and children were provided with cochlear implants in 2002; and how the figures compare with those in the previous five years; and
	Whether they will publish figures giving the number of cochlear implants funded by primary care trusts in 2002 for (a) adults and (b) children; and
	What information they have on primary care trusts delaying assessments and refusing funding for recommended cochlear implants for children becoming or born deaf; and
	What steps they are taking to inform primary care trusts and general practitioners of the benefits of cochlear implants.

Lord Warner: The following table gives details of the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) in which cochlear implants were fitted in England for adults and children in the year ending March 2002 and the four preceding years.
	
		
			 Year Ending 31 March Children aged 0–17 Adults aged 18+ 
			 1998 147 132 
			 1999 179 124 
			 2000 180 136 
			 2001 196 168 
			 2002 203 184 
		
	
	Notes:
	An FCE is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes or be admitted several times within the year.
	Figures in this table have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health.
	While the Department of Health does not collect figures centrally on the number of cases where funding for cochlear implants is delayed or refused, we understand that the Institute for Hearing Research surveys specialised centres each year to find the number of cases for which funding is declined. The last such survey was at the end of 2001. Primary care trusts came into existence in October 2001 and full-year figures for the services they fund are not yet available.

Medicines for Human Use: Draft Regulations on Clinical Trials

Baroness Hayman: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the main concerns expressed by the charitable and public sector in relation to the committee on the draft Medicine for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulation 2003; and what steps are being taken to address these concerns.

Lord Warner: The draft regulations are to transpose into United Kingdom law Directive 2001/20/EC on approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states relating to implementation of good clinical practice in the conduct of clinical trials on medicinal products for human use. Consultation on the draft regulations closed on 16 May. The Medical Research Council's response is available in full on its website. Its assessment reflected the main concerns expressed by the charitable and public sector.
	The Department of Health and the MRC have agreed jointly to lead a project to clarify the arrangements for publicly funded clinical trials involving medicines in the UK. It will draw up practical advice to enable publicly funded clinical trials involving medicines to comply with the law while making best use of existing good practice, minimising additional bureaucracy and making maximum use of public resources to avoid unnecessary expense.
	The project is about to start, under the chairmanship of Professor Kent Woods, Director of the NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme. It will draw extensively on expert advice from trialists and from the charitable and public sector.

Non-residential Property: Scotland

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will identify the population of each postcode area in Scotland where stamp duty on non-residential property purchases has been abolished.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The population figures based on the 2001 census are as followed:
	
		
			 Postcode Resident population 2001 Postcode Resident population 2001 Postcode Resident population 2001 
			 AB1 3* 9,508 G22 7 7,226 G72 7 9,927 
			 AB2 1* 12,475 G23 5 7,164 G73 1 3,902 
			 AB2 2* 6,551 G3 8 6,312 G81 1 5,924 
			 DD1 5 3,050 G31 1 4,042 G81 2 7,266 
			 DD11 1 5,244 G31 2 6,723 G81 4 7,477 
			 DD2 3 6,884 G31 3 5,827 G81 5 5,649 
			 DD2 4 11,177 G31 4 4,595 KA1 4 7,018 
			 DD3 0 6,644 G31 5 2,457 KA18 3 5,804 
			 DD3 7 8,051 G32 6 7,342 KA18 4 3,893 
			 DD4 0 7,493 G32 7 7,313 KA3 1 5,553 
			 DD4 6 6,428 G32 8 8,623 KA3 2 8,765 
			 DD4 8 10,847 G33 1 8,142 KA6 7 9,462 
			 DD4 9 11,114 G33 3 6,964 KA7 1 1,737 
			 DG1 2 2,328 G33 4 6,600 KA8 0 7,429 
			 DG9 7 6,452 G33 5 5,418 KA8 9 8,018 
			 EH11 3 9,514 G34 0 5,802 KY1 1 5,928 
			 EH14 2 9,134 G34 9 4,601 KY1 3 4,988 
			 EH16 4 6,063 G4 0 7,082 KY5 8 6,061 
			 EH3 8 2,242 G40 2 2,529 KY8 2 5,435 
			 EH4 4 9,935 G40 3 2,514 KY8 3 6,044 
			 EH5 1 4,475 G40 4 2,570 ML1 4 11,866 
			 EH54 5 7,077 G40 1 2,332 ML2 0 9,991 
			 EH6 6 4,192 G41 1 1,452 ML2 7 10,032 
			 EH8 8 3,039 G42 0 5,365 ML2 9 5,833 
			 FK10 1 5,305 G42 7 4,687 ML3 0 5,320 
			 FK2 7 9,922 G42 8 10,100 ML4 2 10,963 
			 FK8 1 7,811 G42 9 7,850 ML5 2 8,846 
			 G1 5 1,360 G43 1 7,214 ML5 4 10,772 
			 G11 6 2,783 G45 0 5,416 ML5 5 10,719 
			 G13 2 7,567 G45 9 9,010 ML6 0 8,459 
			 G13 3 9,813 G46 8 10,024 ML6 6 8,672 
			 G13 4 6,543 G5 0 5,771 ML6 7 9,497 
			 G14 0 7,766 G5 9 2,415 PA1 1 5,353 
			 G15 7 6,145 G51 1 5,945 PA1 2 7,427 
			 G15 8 4,843 G51 2 6,407 PA14 6 9,182 
			 G20 0 7,355 G51 3 4,566 PA15 2 4,475 
			 G20 7 5,745 G51 4 7,033 PA15 3 3,466 
			 G20 8 7,419 G52 1 7,534 PA15 4 8,346 
			 G20 9 3,267 G52 4 4,160 PA16 0 10,357 
			 G21 1 7,744 G53 5 9,366 PA2 0 7,102 
			 G21 2 5,822 G53 6 7,628 PA3 1 4,295 
			 G21 3 10,707 G53 7 11,300 PA3 2 3,594 
			 G21 4 8,050 G66 2 8,278 PA3 4 6,110 
			 G22 5 5,312 G71 5 6,679 PA4 8 6,915 
			 G22 6 6,049 G72 0 7,178 PH1 5 6,038 
		
	
	* The Scottish Index of Deprivation 1998, on which the exempt areas are based, used postcode areas existing in 1991. Because of changes in postcode boundaries, these three sectors no longer exist. The population figures are for the 2001 areas most closely corresponding to the abolished areas. The postcode search tool which allows claimants to identify whether relief is due takes account of such postcode changes, as do processes in the Stamp Offices.

Nuclear Science and Engineering: University Courses

Lord Jenkin of Roding: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What courses exist at United Kingdom universities for students wishing to study nuclear science and engineering; and how many of such students are studying these subjects at undergraduate, post-graduate and post-doctoral levels.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The latest course listing on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website, which covers undergraduate courses only, shows that no universities currently offer undergraduate courses specifically in nuclear science and engineering. However, a report commissioned by the Nuclear Safety Directorate in autumn 2001 identified the following universities which ran postgraduate or undergraduate courses which contained some nuclear content: Postgraduate Courses University of Birmingham City University University of Hull Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine Lancaster University University of Liverpool Loughborough University Middlesex University University of Plymouth University of Surrey University of Wales, Swansea University College London Royal Navy School of Marine and Air Engineering, HMS Sultan (Department of Nuclear Science and Technology) 1 Undergraduate Courses University of Bath University of Birmingham University of Cambridge City University De Montfort University The University of Hull Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine University of Leeds University of Liverpool Loughborough University University of Manchester Middlesex University University of Plymouth University of Salford University of Sheffield Sheffield Hallam University University of Southampton University of Strathclyde University of Surrey Royal Navy School of Marine and Air Engineering, HMS Sultan (Department of Nuclear Science and Technology) 1
	1 The report also included HMS Sultan, which is a Ministry of Defence establishment.
	According to the report, the number of students on courses containing any nuclear content is around 320 students per year on postgraduate courses and around 1,460 per year on undergraduate courses.

Teachers

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many extra teachers there were in England and Northern Ireland in 2002 compared with the number of teachers in 1992.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) regular teachers in the maintained sector in England rose from 394,000 in January 1992 to 419,600 in January 2002, an increase of 25,600. The provisional number of FTE regular teachers for January 2003 is 423,900. The supply of teachers in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Genetically Modified Crops

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider that holding four public meetings, for ticket holders only, is a sufficient consultation of public opinion in the United Kingdom on the subject of genetically modified plants, animals and foods; if so, why; and when they intend to answer Lord Hylton's Questions for Written Answer dated 7 May (HL 2749), 12 May (HL 2824) and 19 May (HL 2983).

Lord Whitty: GM Nation?—the public debate on GM issues—is being managed by an independent steering board at arm's length from government and is not limited in the way described. A total of six (not four) public regional launch events have been held in Birmingham, Swansea, Taunton, Belfast, Glasgow and Harrogate. These events were open to all and signified the beginning of the debate programme. Participants were encouraged to register their interest in attending and tickets were made available on a first come, first served basis.
	The steering board has also sent hundreds of letters to local authorities and other organisations, including all county councils, inviting them to organise their own events more locally, with the help of a debate toolkit. So far 15,000 feedback forms, 5,500 booklets, 1,700 CD-ROMs and 500 videos have been sent out.
	In addition, anyone can get involved in the debate through the interactive debate website at www.gmnation.org.uk. Thousands of people have already done so.
	Written Answers to Questions HL 2749 and HL 2824 were given to the noble Lord on 18 June 2003 and an Answer to HL 2983 was given on 24 June 2003.

Grey Squirrels

Lord Lucas: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will authorise the importation of a quantity of grey squirrels from North America with a view to their release into the wild to establish whether the bark-stripping behaviour of the grey squirrels currently in the United Kingdom could be suppressed by an infusion of new bloodlines.

Lord Whitty: The release of grey squirrels into the wild in Great Britain is prohibited under Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In England the department (or in Scotland and Wales the relevant devolved administration) has the power to license an exception under the act. However, my department has not received an application for a licence to release grey squirrels for any such purpose. Any application would be considered on its merits but it is unlikely that we would consider granting a licence without compelling evidence that introducing new bloodlines would reduce, rather than add to, the environmental damage caused by grey squirrels currently living feral in Britain.

Batteries

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the tonnage of batteries disposed of annually in the United Kingdom, in general, and nickel cadmium in particular; what is the content of heavy metal involved; what recycling facilities are (a) available now and (b) planned for the next two years.

Lord Whitty: A government-funded study from 2000 predicted that a total of 186,314 tonnes of batteries would arise as waste in 2002. Of these, 2,279 tonnes were predicted to be nickel-cadmium batteries and 162,993 automotive and industrial lead-acid batteries. This corresponds to 396 tonnes of cadmium and 104,044 tonnes of lead.
	Ninety per cent of waste automotive and industrial lead acid batteries in the UK are recycled at one of two UK lead smelters, Britannia Refined Metals in Kent and H.J. Enthoven & Sons in Derbyshire. Button cells containing mercury are recycled in the UK at Odin Technology and Mercury Recycling. Spent silver oxide batteries are reprocessed by Engelhard Ltd. A scheme called Bat-Re-Back has been established to collect industrial nickel cadmium batteries. These are currently sent to France to be recycled. According to the European Batteries Recycling Association 424 tonnes of nickel-cadmium batteries, from the UK, were recycled in 2002.
	In addition to these types of waste batteries, around 20,514 of waste primary consumer batteries were predicted to arise in 2002. A major pilot scheme for collecting consumer batteries is currently underway in Bristol which hopes to collect batteries from every household in the city. The scheme planned to send the batteries collected to Britannia Zinc for recycling, but due to the closure of the zinc smelter the batteries will now be recycled abroad.

Agricultural Products: Export Subsidies

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What timetable they envisage for the phasing-out of export subsidies paid by the European Union on farm products.

Lord Whitty: The Doha declaration commits all WTO member countries to negotiations aimed at reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies for agricultural products. The Government fully supports this commitment.
	The proposal which the EU submitted to the WTO in January suggested an average 45 per cent cut in the budgetary outlay on export subsidies over six years and a permanent phasing out of some export subsidies, especially where developing country markets were affected. This is a good start but falls short of the proposal made by the chairman of the Special Session of the Agriculture Committee, Stuart Harbinson, that developed countries should phase out all export subsidies over nine years.
	The negotiations are to continue in Special Sessions of the Agriculture and the fifth WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun in September. The Government will press for an outcome on export subsidies which properly reflects the commitment in the Doha declaration.